


Blood-drenched skin

by KujiraHanma



Series: Tributes to Season 5 Merlin [2]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Boys Kissing, Canon Era, M/M, Season/Series 05, no magic revealed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-03
Updated: 2019-02-03
Packaged: 2019-10-21 15:15:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,701
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17645234
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KujiraHanma/pseuds/KujiraHanma
Summary: The tribute to season 5 Merlin continues.It appears it is much more challenging for Arthur to keep his hands off Merlin.





	Blood-drenched skin

They have not spoken of it again. Of what had happened in that village, in the quarters of the tavern. It was for the better, wasn’t it?

Arthur was listening to one of his councilors. They were discussing on the same topic for what felt like hours. He was walking up and down the room, pacing along the big wooden table with his hand holding onto his chin, speaking skepticism. He did not disagree with his councilor. He was just not satisfied with the solution the man was suggesting. Arthur could hear his knight’s training from the open window. He walked passed it and sneaked a glance. He froze immediately as he saw someone specific under his knights. Merlin. He had a sword in his hands, wearing chainmail and armour protecting his body from injuries. Arthur stopped listening to his councilor. He was distracted by the warmth spreading in his heart and rooting through his body. His mind was back on the bed where he had kissed Merlin. He was feeling the touch of their lips in his memory and how hard it had hit him emotionally. The Merlin on the field swung his sword and collided with Percival – the Merlin Arthur saw in his mind was looking at him with dark and wild eyes.  
“Sire?”  
The voice snapped Arthur out of his thoughts and back into the present. He inhaled sharply, turning away from the window.  
“Could we may agree on that solution, sire?”, the council repeated.  
“I am sorry. Please, sit down.”, he gestured the man to take a seat at the table, “I am concerned about your approach. I hope we can agree on a solution most people will benefit from.”

Merlin was balancing Arthur’s dinner on a plate and walking to his chambers. He felt energized from the training with the knights. He knocked on the door and entered without waiting for a response.  
“I brought your dinner, sire.”, he walked up to Arthur’s table, not paying any further attention to the king standing by his window besides his bed, looking into the darkening sky.  
“I saw you were training with the knights today.”, Arthur had turned round and was walking in slow steps to his table where Merlin was arranging his dinner. He watched him. Putting the plate in front of his chair, adjusting the cutlery to its place, taking the goblet with his favorite wine of the season and filling it. Arthur found himself starring at Merlin again – taking in all his movements as if they were something precious.  
“Yes, they are training me in combat. Mostly easy techniques in sword fight.”, Merlin answered when placing the filled goblet on the table.  
Arthur knew from his conversation with Sir Leon at the river that Merlin had joined their training party. His heart fluttered remembering Merlin bathing it the stream. When he didn’t answer, Merlin added a little nervously, “Is it okay that I..” He raised his chin meeting Arthur’s eyes. Arthur could see the uncertainty written on his face.  
“Yeah, of course.”, Arthur responded quickly, avoiding Merlin’s eyes, “It’s about time that you learn how to use a sword. Or one day or another you will hurt one of you own men with your clumsy hands.”  
“I would never do that.”, Merlin’s voice was strong and steady – not a second would Arthur doubt his intentions.  
“I know.”, the king smiled as he sat down, looking at his plate to avoid Merlin’s fierce eyes. He liked to see this new strength of his friend too much. Because it had not died down. The affection he started to feel towards Merlin – it was still present, pumping his heart and clouding his thoughts. Yes, he was married to Gwen and he loved her, but what Merlin triggered inside of him was different and shockingly overwhelming.  
“I promise, I will not join their training when I have to fulfill my duties as your servant.”  
Arthur nod, “I am sure of that.”

The days passed by and Arthur found himself watching his knight’s training sessions when he felt exhausted from his kingly duties. He recognized Merlin’s absence during their training when he was helping Gaius or doing a favor for someone else in the castle. Merlin was always there to help. Arthur was sure most of Camelot’s people loved him. He was kind, friendly and valued every form of life. And when Merlin had time to join the training party, Arthur was following his progress. Sometimes he wished he could inspect the progress up close – calling Merlin to his chambers, ordering him to remove his tunic so Arthur could touch him. He imagined touching the hot skin and those eyes looking at him the way they did this one time. Arthur felt a dangerous fire burning inside him, which tongues spread hungrily.

He ate the dinner together with his knights. Elyan was telling one of his adventures with Gwaine and Percival as Arthur caught Merlin standing in the back refilling one jar to serve them more beer. His gaze started to linger on his manservant, so he stood up and gave an excusing nod to Elyan.  
“Why are you not eating with us?”, Arthur asked.  
“I am fine, sire. I am sure Gaius will need a proper dinner when I return to his chambers.”  
“You can bring him a plate from our food. There will be plenty left.”  
“That’s very generous, my lord. But..”, Merlin stopped midsentence when Arthur laid a hand on his arm.  
The electrifying charge in the air surrounded them instantly. None of them spoke. Merlin turned slowly, looked at his arm where Arthur was touching him and then up into Arthur’s eyes. Their breaths coughed between their lips.  
It was the laughter of the men at the table that brought them out of their lingering gaze. Arthur faced the table and said to his men, “Merlin should dine with us.”, spreading his arms for an open invitation.  
“Yeah! Merlin! Eat with us.”, the knights responded in a loud mix of agreement. Percival patted on the wooden surface next to him and pushed the chair away from the table. Merlin grinned and took the offered seat. Percival grasped him at his shoulder.  
“You have to eat if you want to gain strength.”  
Merlin looked at the impressive arms of the tall knight, “Yeah, okay.”

After the intense moment during the dinner, Merlin had left the kings chambers quickly to return to his own, not forgetting the plate rich with food for the physician. They had not spoken much. Arthur wished he could have ask him to stay. A thought that had anchored its roots deep into Arthur’s head, keeping him awake that night for far too long.

When Merlin entered the king’s chambers at first light, Arthur woke up from his presence immediately. He did not hear the sound of the opening door – no, it was something else that had triggered his unconsciousness. The sole desire of wanting to touch Merlin had haunted him as far as into his dreams. Arthur felt his heart pounding way too strong and way too fast. He knew that it originated from the unfulfilled longing deep inside him. Opening his eyes, he could see his manservant at his wardrobe, collecting his clothes. Merlin was wearing no leather jacket and he had rolled up the sleeves of his blue tunic above his elbows. He traced Merlin’s arms in the dim light, letting his gaze linger on his back. He closed his eyes again and tried to calm himself down before Merlin would recognize that he was already awake. He could hear the doors of the wardrobe closing and with some seconds delay there was the sound of ruffling from papers. Documents, written speeches and contracts. As every day, Merlin entered his chambers while Arthur was still asleep. He brought his breakfast from the kitchen, picked out the clothes appropriate for his duties of the day, arranged the paperwork and provided fresh water for the king to wash. After all that, Arthur knew that he would open the curtains and wake him up with one of his lame and childish calls. But this morning Arthur did not manage to calm down his heart and the fire inside him gained new strength as oxygen inflamed the hot burning by the cool morning breeze brushing Arthurs face from the window Merlin had opened, caring Merlin’s unique scent. A gasp escaped his throat and he failed to control his breathing.  
“Arthur? Are you alright?”  
He may had missed Merlin’s first wake-up call as he could identify concern in his voice. Suddenly, a cool hand was on his forehead, brushing his hair back and when he opened his eyes he saw Merlin’s face above his. Arthur’s breaths were coming fast. His whole body was aching and with Merlin touching him, he lost his restraint. He grasped Merlin’s arm, threw him onto the bed and rolled on top of him. Having Merlin under his body, feeling him after he kept imagining it, the aching changed into a force of want and longing.  
“Arthur, what..?”, he tried to get Arthur off of him but the king was physically stronger from his lifetime of training.  
And then there were Arthur’s lips on Merlin’s neck. A kiss under his jawline – and another one close to the first. Arthur let the second kiss linger, his lips touching the hot and smooth skin as Merlin had shaved this morning. Arthur felt how the desired body under his own stopped fighting. For a second, it was like both were holding their breaths. Until Arthur licked over the skin his lips had been touching and all the air in Merlin’s lungs escaped with a sound that translated into a moan in Arthur’s ears. He licked further down, tasted the slightly salty skin there, kissed it, sucked it between his lips and traced it again with his tongue. Merlin’s grip around Arthur’s arms tightened as he had licked down but loosened when sucking the skin between his lips. Arthur could feel how the hand on his right arm let go and returned grasping onto his back, holding on to his bare skin with an almost hurtful scratching of fingernails. Arthur kissed further down, recognizing Merlin’s fast breath and heavily moving torso. He grasped his neckerchief and pulled it down to have better access as Merlin started to moan deeply. He tightened his grip around Arthur’s arm again as he wanted to stop Arthur from moving. So that’s what he did. Arthur stayed and sucked, licking over the skin and sucked again. Deep moans echoed through his chambers and the hand on his back pressed him against Merlin’s body when he had bitten into the highly sensitive skin. Arthur felt Merlin surrendering to his touches – and it made the king to want more. More and more. He slipped his hand under Merlin’s tunic, both of their bodies shivering as their bare skin touched, passed the belt and moved higher. His fingers traced the thin line of hair to Merlin’s navel, causing Merlin to breathe even harder close to Arthur’s ear. Arthur’s hand was sliding further upwards until he could feel Merlin’s feverishly beating heart under his fingertips. When Arthur licked over the spot he was sucking this wonderful moans out of Merlin’s throat, two hands grasped his face, pulled him up and he found himself kissed by those perfect lips. He licked into Merlin’s mouth, kissing him deep with all the trapped desire in his chest. He could feel their weight shifting, rolling round and Merlin topping him. Arthur kept himself upright leaning onto one elbow and with his other hand he entangled his fingers into Merlin’s hair while their kiss never broke. He found himself in this wonderful, arousing heat, touches that sparked in his body and the sounds of their mouths kissing echoing in his brain. He breathed the heat radiating from their bodies and savored in the scent of their arousal. Merlin was a demanding kisser, pulling away ever so slightly just to return as feverishly and claiming Arthur’s mouth with his tongue. Caught in the moment, Arthur’s hips trusted forward, brushing his groin over Merlin’s.  
Suddenly, all contact was lost.  
Merlin had jumped off the bed and starred down at Arthur with ruffled clothes, heaving chest and an open, wet-glistering mouth. Without a word spoken, he turned and ran out of Arthur’s chambers.  
“Merlin!”, he called after him.  
“MERLIN!”, but it was too late – he was gone.

Merlin fled down the corridors of the citadel, trying not to bump into anyone. He reached the stables, swung onto a saddled horse and rushed into the woods. He could feel his heart pounding and with it, everything that surrounded him – every animal, ever insect, every plant. He felt his magic leaking out of the pores of his body, focusing him and distracting him at the same time. He reached the lake where he once had hidden Excalibur and stumbled to the ground. The horse whinnied and ran out of his magic’s reach. Tears started to run down his face and his sobbing filled the woods that had quieted down. All living creatures had escaped the danger of his throbbing magic. Even the wind had stopped rustling through the leaves.  
Merlin’s heart ached – it hurt and felt like bursting any moment. He could not see from the tears filling his eyes and running down his cheeks. His body was in pain – so much pain. He wanted to scream, he wanted to stop crying, but at the same time he felt Arthur on him again. His hot touches. His passionate kisses. The burn between his legs occupied his brain and the tightness in his breeches cried for release.  
“Why?!”, he screamed in so much emotional pain.  
How was that possible?  
Arthur was married. Arthur loved Gwen – Merlin was sure of that.  
So why was Arthur looking at him like that – touching him like that? Kiss him. It had been a lie as he had told Arthur he could not remain in his service if they would continue. He had wanted it so badly, but at the same time he had known that after their passion, pain would rip his heart apart.  
Magic pulsed out of his body with every one of his heartbeats. Merlin forced himself on his feet, wiped the tears from his wet face and looked at the lake. His body shook from the power of his magic, vibrating in every fiber of his body. He stumbled to the lake on weak legs and stepped into the cold water. He sighed, feeling the icy cold stinging all the way up to his brain. He jumped into the lake, dove deeper into the cold darkness to paralyze himself. His magic was still leaking out of his body with each heartbeat, disturbing the calm water and throwing waves at its surface. Merlin curled into a ball. He knew he would not drown. His magic was so out of control by his emotions that he was able to breathe with it under water. It felt thicker and heavier in his lungs, but it calmed him. He waited for the heat to escape his body and for his magic to return to him to gain control again.

When his feet were touching the green grass, he felt physically and emotionally exhausted. His clothes were heavy on his body, soaked wet. At least he had regained control. He could feel the animals returning and he was sad that he had scared them. Merlin closed his eyes and sent his apologies. Opening his blue eyes again, they flashed golden and the water in his clothes was shooting in all directions off his body and down onto the earth. He called for the horse to return to the citadel. It obeyed his call and stopped in front of him. Merlin was not sure about a lot of things but one thing he knew with absolute certainty: he will not abandon his destiny. He took the reins in his hands and faced the imposing castle. The spot on his neck, where Arthur had sucked his blood into his skin, was burning like fire.


End file.
